The Muffin Man

Do you know the Muffin Man, the Muffin Man who lives on....Blackburn Drive? Well, I do. I like with him day in and day out, and there's nothing he likes better than baking and eating muffins. Luke has started mixing a little bit of real cooking into his extensive pretend repertoire. He prefers "blue-by" (blueberry) muffins, but today he tried his hand at zucchini and raisin with good results. He's only a slightly messier cook than I am, so it's definately a fun and worthwhile endeavor to bake with him. Ask him to whip you up a batch next time you're in town.

Workin' at the Carwash

Have you ever found yourself a slave to fashion? If so, you might understand how Luke ended up staging his own carwash last night. A few days ago he rediscovered his bright yellow rain boots and has wanted to wear them around the house, to school, etc. But dry rain boots can only take you so far. It was time for the waterworksl!

His Nanny and Papa came by for an afternoon visit yesterday and while my dad and Ben were taking a look under the hood of our vehicles, Luke decided to help out with the exterior. He got his leaky sand bucket, a mostly used bottel of shampoo per auto left from Italy, a wheel brush, and the garden hose. I suspect he had an accomplice for turning on the spigot. At any rate, he was a workin' man at his own car wash, only taking a break to play with our neighbors' puppy.

My parents graciously took their grand-dogs back to NC with them for the week since we will be flying out to Spokane, Washington tomorrow morning. You can see Luke was already set to go with his Spokane tee. We're looking forward to seeing a new part of the country and having a nice fall break for Labor Day. Hope you all enjoy the long weekend where ever you may be.

First Day, Hooray!

After lots of swimming and a nice visit in LaGrange with past weekend with his Nonna, Luke’s big day has finally arrived. We’ve been reading a library book called First Day, Hooray! and now today was his first day of school! We got back to Knoxville last night and started the first of many a Sunday night rituals to come: pack your bookbag and your lunch, lay out your clothes for the morning. Luke even went right to bed without his usual protest. One, he was tired from swimming and our car ride, but mainly, I think he was just excited about what morning would bring. When we awoke today, the sun was shining but the air was cool and crisp just like you think a good first day at school should be. Luke jumped up happy and headed downstairs by himself to use the potty. Next we ate breakfast and watched Curious George just like any other morning, but this was no ordinary morning. By 8:30 we were dressed, gathered all our bags and his lunch and headed to go to school. I took his picture on our front step, proudly holding his lunchbox and ready for the world. We arrived at school early, like most of the other parents and children but we had to wait until the doors opened at 9 AM sharp. It was so sweet to see all the excited little kids, and I wondered if any of the other parents were feeling mixed emotions about the day.

Finally the doors opened. Luke was the first one to run into his classroom. He had memorized his teachers’ names over the weekend and helped me say good morning to them. He didn’t have much time for chit-chat though because they had brought in a train-track table and he made a beeline for the engines and freight cars. I put his things away, talked with the teachers, and then it was time for me to go. He and I had already talked about how he should try to hug and comfort any of the kids who were sad to leave their mommies and daddies, and as I expected, he was not one of them. He never cried or even looked sad when I said goodbye. He was perfectly content to be there and that certainly made it a lot easier on me.

When I went to pick him up, he was sound asleep on his little cot, holding his lamb. He must have played hard because his teacher said he was the first one to fall asleep. I was worried for nothing! I figured he’d be the one kid that wouldn’t sleep a wink. He presented the shape and color of the day and said he had fun playing trains and that they read ‘Five Monkeys.’ All in all, I’d say it was a great first day of school.

Ready, Set, Learn

After returning home from his vacation in Murphy, Luke came back to Knoxville to get down to business. Luke his cousin Delaney who starts kindergarten soon, he will be starting preschool next week and went to meet his teacher and some of this classmates at orientation. As many of your know, Luke told me earlier this summer he “wanted friends” and is so into playing with other kids at the park that we knew was ready for preschool whether we were or not. He likes the children on our block, but most of them are much older and I know he will enjoy having age-mates to play with and a new environment for learning and group play. We were lucky to finally get a spot at our church’s preschool and so Luke is classroom-bound and thrilled about it. He will carry his Thomas lunch box that his Aunt Holly sent several weeks ago and is constantly packing and repacking his bookbags around the house. His excitement for school is running a close second only to our upcoming trip to Spokane to see his Nonna and Bacca. He’s been packing for that trip for about a month! I can’t believe he’s not only old enough but so eager to start his school career. I know it’s just preschool and only two days a week, but it’s a big deal to me and I imagine it will be an empowering change for him. So next time you talk to him, ask him about school and I bet he’ll have a lot to say.

Bad to the Bone

They grow up fast and show their preferences early! Luke loves Ben's motorcycle and now insists his tricycle is not a 'bike' but a 'motacycle.' He works on it with his play tools but is happier to get to sit on the real thing and go for a pretend ride. He's got some good tough guy and cool dude faces doesn't he! If you're on the road in 2022 (or before I'm sure!), look out for Luke. Note he rides barefoot :)

First Camping Trip

Over Memorial Day weekend, Luke went on his very first camping trip in the great outdoors. We camped for a couple nights at Unicoi State Park near Helen, GA. We decided to split our holiday weekend between camping and a visit with Ben's parents at their home in GA. Helen is close enough to my family in NC that they were able to come over and camp part of the time with us, too. For Luke it was the best of all worlds. In one long weekend, he saw both sets of grandparents and his Aunt Chele, slept in a tent, went fishing and wading in the lake, ate roasted marshmallows, and then capped it off with a birthday dinner for Nonna and two days of 'swim camp' at Grandpa Tom and Nonna's pool. He loves the water, so whether lake or pool, he was glad to get wet. The camping debut was a great success, so I'm glad to say it will be the first of many good trips to come with Luke. Ben really enjoyed being out there, too, as it is a peaceful and much needed break from work. One highlight was when we walked up to Anna Ruby Falls to see an amazing double waterfall before heading to LaGrange. Enjoy the photos...can you believe how big a and how much a two-year old can do?!

Day Out with Thomas!

For all of you with little ones in your life, be they children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, you probably know how excited they are to see, read about, and sing about Thomas the Train and his Friends. Luke, as a 2-year old boy, is no exception, but rather his prime demographic. He loves everthing about Thomas, Gordon, Percy, Emily, etc, and of course Sir Topham Hatt, the director of the rail lines on the Island of Sodor. If all this sounds strange to you, that's because it probably is unless you are or have a little one and then, it's all simultaneously sensible and magical. At least children are keeping this kind of wonderment and excitement alive for us all to enjoy.

We recently took Luke to meet and ride Thomas n Chattagnooga at their Railway Museum. It was a great day for the whole family with lots to do: petting zoo, putt-putt golf, air castle, storytelling, Thomas and Friends tattoos (big hit!), playing with train sets and then the big events of meeting Sir Topham Hatt and going for a ride on the real Thomas steam engine. We had a great half-hour ride and hours more excitement in remembering it all these days after. Hope you enjoy the photos and slideshow at the left from Luke's Day Out with Thomas!

Happy, Hoppy Easter!

We had a great Easter weekend visiting with Ben's family in LaGrange, GA. With his parents most recently living in WI and Lauren and her boyfriend Matt in Chapel Hill, it was a rare time for everyone to meet in LaGrange for a warm, beautiful Easter weekend. Luke managed to take in two egg hunts, one on Saturday complete with air castles for jumping and sliding and another at Nonna and Grandpa's home on Sunday before church. He had fun picking up the eggs and even found a special prize egg at Saturday's hunt. My parents, my sister Michele and my Mamaw had all sent Easter baskets for Luke since they missed him for Easter, so he certainly had a grand display from the "Easter Bunny" on Sunday morning. As you'll see from these photos, he had a big time and one happy, hoppy Easter.

Saturdays with Shop Boy

Luke got his first job! He says he's a 'shop boy' for Papa in his race car shop. He wears his shop rag tucked in his pants or pocket and takes a break from helping Papa move blocks and build engines to work on his 'motorcycle.' On this particular Saturday afternoon, the weather was beautiful, showing the first signs of a warm and sunny spring season ahead. He took time to play in the grass and with the dogs, but headed dutifully back to 'work in'a shop.' He loves all things mechanical and works on his toys with a play tool set of hammers, screwdivers, and a drill. Looks like he's taking after his daddy and Papa with his love of tools and 'fix-it' projects.

Luke on his 'motorcycle'

Budding motorhead

A little help from Nanny

Break for a photo-op

Gotta get back to work.....

Luke's 2nd

Luke’s big day finally arrived and this year he seemed to know more of what the commotion was all about. It was his second birthday and he was into everything: the cakes, the balloons, and friends and family coming by for a visit, the singing, and of course the birthday presents. We had a small party with local relatives in Murphy, celebrating with a barbecue and some of the cutest vintage car cakes. Luke’s Nonna sent a great cake tin and all the candies to decorate the little cakes. He had a great time snacking on the extra candies, even swiping the occasional “wheel” off the cars for a taste---gummy Lifesavers are hard to pass up if your 2! It was wonderful to see Luke enjoying the day and his family, especially his little cousins Delaney and Morgan. It was only diminished by missing members of Ben’s family in WI, PA, and FL. We appreciated all the calls and cards from our friends and relatives far way, especially those in Italy with whom we celebrated Luke’s first birthday last year. At two, Luke is talking very well, forming short sentences and repeating nearly any word you say to him. He knows his colors and body parts, and we’re still working on letters and numbers. He can call nearly all this relatives by their names (or some pronunciation of them), even identifying them by sight in photographs from years ago. The only confusion he regularly makes is identifying a young Michele or Lauren (our sisters) as himself: “Dat’s Wuke.” L’s are still hard to say J He loves to play hard all day long: farm set with the barn and tractor, coloring books and crayons, kicking and chasing a ball, and “playing” the piano to name a few favorites. His only breaks are for a hard fought nap, story time, snack, or maybe a favorite kids’ show. He’s always busy and having fun. So here’s to Luke on his 2nd birthday and the many more to come. I can only imagine all the new things he’ll do during this coming year.

Luke is 18 months old!

Can you believe our little rascal is already 18 months old? We certainly can't but even so, here he is in all his 18 month old glory. He spent his big day celebrating with his favorite food and newest word: pizza! It sounds more like pitsa when we says it, but we get the picture. You will, too, when you see all the ways and places he enjoyed eating his birthday pie, pizza margherita, naturally. He can be such a napolitano sometimes!

The Fiat 500

One thing about the Fiat 500 is that you never know when it's going to give you some excitement. Case in point was three days ago, when the little car died on my way to work. In the middle of rush hour traffic, I was stranded on the small shoulder being buzzed by crazy Italian nut-job drivers. I put out my reflective triangle and even that got ran over by an elderly couple.

After waiting 30 minutes dodging cars, the tow truck showed up and got me out of the chaos. We went to the garage, and they started working on the car right away. 15 minutes, a new spark plug and distributor cap later, they had the car putt, putt, putting like it should.

The funny thing about italian mechanics is that they are usually older gentlemen that seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to diagnosing and fixing problems with the Fiat 500. They also always have a fond memory and story that relates to their early experience with the car: from their family's first vehicle or their first experience with a woman in one, the car brings many fond memories to the hearts of Italians. Many would say that Ferrari or Lamborghini is the national car of Italy. This is not true; it is the Fiat 500!

Hope you enjoy some pics of Luke "driving". The car is almost his size. A pint sized car for a pint sized motor head.

Ready for My Closeup

Luke had his picture taken at the portrait studio back in Murphy, and as you can see, he was definately ready for his closeup! He likes to pose and turn on the charm for the photographer. Enjoy the grins and look for more journals and photos from NC and GA in the coming days.

Notes from the Playground

We've been on a long trip back to the States, but wanted to back track and show some more shots of Luke at his playground best. One look at these smiles should convince anyone it's good to be a kid at heart.....or just to be a kid!